SP638 · Italy

Passo di Giau

A Dolomites pass between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Selva di Cadore, climbing to 2,236 m in open pasture below the Nuvolau and the Averau.

StartFinishHairpin

19.8 kmLength

182Pace-note calls

53Hairpins

54Tight corners (1–2)

↑690 ↓890Climb and drop, m

≈2,230 mHighest point

Counts are from Turini’s pace-note engine on this route. Heights come from terrain data and can differ from signposted figures by a few tens of metres.

Where is the Passo di Giau?

The Passo di Giau is in Italy, on the SP638. Also known as Giau Pass or Passo Giau. The route on this page: Pocol, above Cortina d’Ampezzo, to Selva di Cadore, over the 2,236 m pass, 19.8 km.

Why the Passo di Giau is famous

The Selva di Cadore side alone has 29 hairpins and three avalanche galleries; this route crosses both sides. It is a regular climb in the Giro d’Italia and the Maratona dles Dolomites.

Passo di Giau hairpins

Over 19.8 km Turini calls 53 hairpins and 118 corners graded 1 to 6, plus 1 crest and 1 dip. That is 182 calls in all, one every 109 metres on average. Grade 1 is the tightest, 6 is nearly straight (how to read pace notes).

HP53

120

234

318

417

524

Passo di Giau elevation profile

From 1,538 m at the start to 1,335 m at the finish, with a highest point of about 2,230 m. Red marks are the hairpins.

2,300 m1,300 m

0 km9.9 km19.8 km

Passo di Giau pace notes, first few km

The first 25 calls, exactly as Turini reads them, with the distance from the start.

5 mRight 2 long

90 mLeft 5 opens

225 mLeft 4 long

470 mRight 3

595 mLeft 5

950 mRight 2

1.01 kmLeft 2

1.11 kmRight 3 opens

1.21 kmCrest

1.41 kmLeft 2 long

1.56 kmRight 5

1.67 kmRight 4

1.89 kmRight 5

1.96 kmHairpin left

2.00 kmBridge

2.05 kmHairpin right

2.23 kmRight 3

2.29 kmHairpin left

2.42 kmRight 5

2.51 kmHairpin right

2.63 kmHairpin left

2.70 kmRight 1

2.79 kmLeft 2

2.90 kmLeft 2

2.96 kmHairpin right

That takes you to 2.96 km. 157 more calls follow over the remaining 16.8 km.

Before you drive the Passo di Giau

Avalanches often block the road in winter, so treat it as a summer road.

The Selva side is steep and narrow. Summer weekends bring a lot of cyclists.

How to drive the Passo di Giau with Turini

Set the route before you leave and Turini saves its notes on the phone, so it works with the screen off and no signal. On the road it reads each call about 4.5 seconds before the corner, timed to your speed, and you never touch the phone. It also works through Android Auto. If pace notes are new to you, start in Simple mode (Easy, Medium, Hard) and switch to the 1–6 scale once it feels natural.

Always drive within the law, the conditions and what you can see. Turini tells you what the map says; the road is what counts.

More roads like the Passo di Giau

Passo SellaItaly22.4 km · 227 calls · 32 hairpins

Timmelsjoch High Alpine RoadAustria / Italy40.7 km · 351 calls · 27 hairpins

Stelvio PassItaly15.7 km · 165 calls · 47 hairpins

Best driving roads in the Alps · Best driving roads in Europe · Best driving roads in Italy · All famous roads · How to read pace notes

Sources: Wikipedia: Passo di Giau, Wikipedia (it): Passo di Giau.

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